The Portuguese Prime Minister of the moderate right, Luis Montenegro, won the anticipated legislative elections on Sunday, May 18, but, as a year ago, he does not obtain a sufficient majority to ensure the political stability of the Iberian country.
The extreme right represented by the Chega Party (” Enough “), which continues to progress compared to the last ballot, reached for the first time the 20 % of the votes and follows the socialist opposition.
According to a survey from the ballot box broadcast by RTP public television, The outgoing government camp would have obtained between 29 % and 34 % of the vote, compared to 21 % to 26 % for the Socialist Party and 20 % to 24 % for Chega.
Mr. Montenegro, a 52 -year -old lawyer who has always refused to govern with the support of Chega, hoped to be able to form a wider majority by negotiating the rallying of the Liberal Initiative Training, which would have arrived in fourth position with 4 % to 7 % of the votes.
Partial official results will be known later in the evening.
In terms of seats, the outgoing coalition would have won 85 to 96 seats out of a total of 230, which remains below the threshold of 116 elected officials, synonymous with absolute majority.
Even by counting six to twelve mandates for the Liberals, Mr. Montenegro may find himself again caught up between the Socialist Party of Pedro Nuno Santos, a 48 -year -old economist, and the far right led by André Ventura, a former seminarian and 42 -year -old lawyer, who made himself known as a junk football commentator.
The Socialist Party, a great loser
Forced to resign last March against the background of suspicions of conflict of interest, the head of government thus seems to win the bet to rely on the verdict of the ballot box to ensure his political survival, but his earnings seem insufficient to modify the balance of power to the assembly.
He may have suffered from having caused these elections himself to avoid explaining to a parliamentary commission of inquiry concerning the activities of a advisory company registered at his home and on behalf of his children. “No one has ever been so transparent as me”he assured during his last campaign meeting, while the head of the socialist opposition accused him of having “Mixed politics and business” By receiving private business money after entering into office.
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The PS, narrowly beaten in 2024 after eight years in power, remains the big loser of the evening, since he even risks being overwhelmed by Chega as the first opposition party.
In the outgoing parliament, the power coalition had only two deputies more than the socialists.
Fulgurating Chega growth
In one year, Mr. Montenegro's executive took several measures in favor of purchasing power, by increasing pensions, the minimum wage or by accepting the demands of several categories of civil servants, including teachers, doctors or police. He also granted tax reductions for young people.
He also hardened the migration policy of the previous socialist government of Antonio Costa, which was one of the most flexible in Europe.
While the number of foreigners living in Portugal has been quadrupled since 2017, now reaching around 15 % of the population, out of 10 million inhabitants in total, immigration has burst into political debate. Since its foundation in 2019, Chega has experienced dazzling growth, obtaining 18 % of the vote last March to go from twelve to fifty deputies.
Its president André Ventura saw his campaign disturbed by two discomforts of which he was the victim in front of the television cameras, but he appeared more in shape when he voted on Sunday.
In order to take advantage of the setbacks of the Prime Minister and the influx of migrant workers from South Asia, he hammered the traditional rhetoric of populist parties against corruption of political elites and immigrants.
Source: Lemonde